Show Others Your Tricks in the Creative Field

This may be an area where it may depend if my advice is good or bad.  I don't want to superimpose my ideology on this subject since it isn't always the case.  When it comes to what you know, I always am of the opinion that you should show others your tricks.  I am competitive guy, but I think being competitive should be beating someone working your ass off rather than being the weird, I'm not going to show you anything since you're my enemy.  Friendly competitive creative work is always best, especially since you have a more positive attitude on this subject.

a really bad & cheesy helping hand photo

You know some Photoshop tricks?  Show them to someone you either work with or that asks for it.  Someone who could do the work a bit faster in AfterEffects if they tried using the hotkeys, show them.  In group projects, this will always be beneficial since your co-workers will know more and do the work more effectively (and likely better), which means you all benefit.  They will also appreciate you more and the working environment is much better.  If they are decent human beings, they will help and show you their tricks so you can also improve yourself.

The only situation that I can think of where it would be a bad idea to show someone your tricks is to an asshole.  Someone who has a metaphorical knife that they constantly try to stab you in the back with and will use anything against you.  In that case, the obvious answer is not to be so forthcoming in regards to showing your tricks.  Again, this is my outlook on this but there's plenty of professionals that are more reluctant to help others, and I can't put their ideals down.  That's their outlook on this subject, and this is mine.  You have to choose yourself what type of person you'd like to be in the creative world.

The Collective Podcast

I'm sure many of you are sitting in your cubicle, listening to music as you work until your 9-5 workday is over.  Well you're in luck, because I'm going to shove my preferences down your throat so you can enjoy exactly what I enjoy.  I initially started listening only to music when I worked through projects or during 9-5 jobs.  Then I began listening to podcasts to mix it up.  I'll be uploading a few of the podcasts I listen to hoping that it will help the only person who reads this blog post through their day.

The first to start it off is the best one for people that work in creative fields.  I say creative because it can range to too many mediums and I don't feel like listing them all.  My blog, my rules. The one you need to go listen to is The Collective Podcast, hosted by Ash Thorp.

https://soundcloud.com/the-collective-podcast

Ash works in the motion graphics industry but dabbles in illustration.  I know this not based on knowing him personally, but merely by listening to his podcast and following him on facebook.  He questions many people in the concept art, design, 3D/2D, video game/movie industry, film making and even a student trying to get into concept art/illustration.  He covers a lot of bases and asks some good question.  Thankfully he isn't a stiff robot that only sticks on the subject matter the entire time to bore us all to death, instead the podcast feels organic which makes it far more interesting in its set up.  He has interviewed some of best guys in the industry, so I don't see why you wouldn't listen to his podcast.  Go to the link, start at #1 and keep moving on up.  He and the people he interviews are more experienced and far more knowledgeable than any of things you will read here, unless it's a statement that's copy & pasted by the same people that know more than me.  Now that I've trashed myself enough for the day, here is a link to some of his great work:

http://www.ashthorp.com/

Your cubicle work sessions will be a lot more informative from now on.